Summary of Wendy Smith & Marianne Lewis's Both/And Thinking

Book excerpt: Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The two of us have spent years studying how people deal with their toughest problems. We have found that regardless of the situation, these problems are difficult because they present us with dilemmas - choices between alternatives. #2 Tensions, dilemmas, and paradoxes are all types of situations where alternative expectations and demands are in opposition. They can drive creativity and sustainability, or lead to defensiveness and destruction. Their impact depends on how we respond. #3 The paradoxes underlying these tensions are not just oppositional, but also interdependent. They define and reinforce one another. While the details of the presenting dilemma may change, the underlying paradoxes remain. #4 We often apply either/or thinking to all sorts of challenges in our lives, from where we should eat dinner to what we should do with our lives. This type of thinking is useful when the consequences of the decision are minimal and it isn't worth the time or effort to explore the issue further.